Marvin Sharp: Gymnastics Coach Dead In Jail Amid Child Porn/Molestation Charges, Parents Can’t Believe He Did It

Marvin Sharp, gymnastics coach for two members of the 2008 U.S. women’s Olympic team, died Saturday night in an apparent suicide. Sharp had been jailed on charges of child pornography and child molestation and he was found dead in his jail cell.

In a related report by the Inquisitr, not everyone believes Marvin Sharp was guilty of the charges against him.

“I stand by Marvin,” said Gymnastics Academy Coach Michele Callahan, who believed Sharp was innocent of the child molestation charges. “Gymnastics is a sport where its very nature puts male coaches at risk of false accusations. I have seen such a thing happen to another coach. I certainly hope this can be cleared up quickly before it affects his very positive and respectable career.”

Another unidentified friend claimed she had known Sharp for 15 years and could not believe he was capable of the accusations against him.

“He’s probably, of all the coaches I have come across, the least likely I would ever think to do something like he’s being accused of,” she said.

According to the Associated Press, the former USA Gymnastics 2010 Coach of the Year was arrested on August 24, 2015 on four counts of child molestation and three counts of sexual misconduct with a minor. Based upon the Indiana state charges statement, Marvin Sharp was accused of “fondling or touching” a 13-year-old girl “with the intent to arouse or satisfy the sexual desires.”

The unidentified girl has claimed that, during the summer of 2013, she was asked if she wanted to do a photo shoot. The girl described “Marvin having taken hundreds if not thousands of photos of her in various outfits,” even photos which included a straitjacket, and at one point “Marin had her sitting on blocks and had her spread her legs, which seem both inappropriate and creepy to her.”

In addition, the girl testified that Sharp would “fix her underwear” by putting his “fingers inside the underwear” and “would touch the outside of her vagina while his fingers were underneath the underwear.” It is claimed that Sharp made “swallowing” or “gulping” sounds during these incidences.

During gymnastic practice, the girl also said Marvin Sharp would “not allow her to wear underwear with her leotard” since he “did not like seeing the underwear lines.” She also described “therapy sessions” where Sharp would rub an area of her groin by putting his hand down her gym shorts even though she was not allowed to wear underwear. During the summer of 2014, it’s said Sharp used an electric eyebrow razor to shave a pubic hair without her permission.

Due to gymnastics competitions and training, the girl and the coach would have “connecting rooms with a door in the middle.” One night while in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, it is claimed Marvin Sharp asked if she “wanted to learn to drive.” Sharp allegedly had the girl sit on his lap during the driving, and she “stated she could feel Marvin’s penis getting hard” so she attempted to shift her weight to his legs.

In the affidavit, the girl claims she did not tell anyone about these incidents because she was “worried Marvin would kick her out of the gym or hurt her.” But the mother of the girl described how her daughter had “left the gym a few weeks ago after a photo-shoot very upset and stated that she was done.”

Shortly after these allegations were made, parent Stephanie Holman speculated that the child made the claims over hurt feelings.

“My daughter has been going here. My oldest went here. I’ve never seen him with anything strange that would make me be, like, ‘What’s going on?’,” said Holman, according to WTHR. “I’m not saying it didn’t happen. It very well could be a child with her feelings hurt and that’s the first thing that came to mind. You just never know.”

Marion County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Katie Carlson did not say how Marvin Sharp died, but police do not suspect foul play at this time. Sharp was 49 years old.

[Image via YouTube]